


Until the Sun Explodes

by Iki_victuri



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Renaissance, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Reincarnation, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-24 06:26:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9707807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iki_victuri/pseuds/Iki_victuri
Summary: There is a love that transcends time. A love that crosses over through lifetimes. An eternal connection that brings two souls together over and over. A love that will never cease until the sun explodes and consumes everything. This is the love that is shared by world-renowned figure skaters Victor Nikiforov-Katsuki and Yuuri Nikiforov-Katsuki. Once again in this lifetime, they’ve found each other like they have thousands of times before. In Athens, in Cairo, in Camelot, in Florence, in London, in Paris, in Versaille, in New York, and now in Hasetsu. Neither of them know it, but they have spent all of human history up till this point together, and they will spend the rest of it together. Until the sun explodes. This is a chronicle of the most beautiful love story in the entire existence of humanity.





	1. Renaissance

**Author's Note:**

> This is my favorite of my writings so far. It was really fun to write and I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did! 
> 
> I will be using their names in the series to avoid confusion so please that into consideration while you read. Also, note that it will not be completely historically accurate.  
>  Also note that I'm writing this into a world how Kubo wanted it to be so there will be no homophobia.
> 
> I'm definitely taking suggestions for time periods/historical events for the next setting! If there is a situation you'd like to see them in please feel free to contact me either in the comments or on my tumblr @iki-victuri
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!!!!

Chapter 1: Renaissance  
“Yuuri! Where did that boy run off to!” Yuuri’s master and benefactor Vincenzo Ludovisi called from across his lavish home for his composer. 

“Here master.” Yuuri hastily replied scurrying into the room where his angered patron stood huffing.

“There you are! Finally! Did you finish that piece I commissioned for my daughter’s wedding?” His master asked him fiercely. 

“Yes, sir. I’m beginning practice sessions with the orchestra this afternoon.” Yuuri replied. His caretaker had been stressed the past few months in anticipation of his only daughter’s wedding to a nearby Lord. He was a good and generous, well-tempered man who loved poetry and music. But, his family was slowly losing its wealth and status and his daughter’s marriage is exactly what he needed to fix that. Yuuri knew he was only hired in an attempt to feign having more wealth than the family truly had. Yet, he still admired his gracious benefactor. 

“Good. This wedding needs to be perfect. I expect you to work those musicians hard. Their performance is your responsibility.” The Noble said.

“Yes sir, you can count on me.”

“Delightful, now if you must excuse me I'm off the see the sculptor.” Ludovisi left the room swiftly and trailed down the hallway shouting at random servants and demanding to know where the sculptor is.   
Yuuri slowly retreated to his room. It was humble after all, he wasn’t a noblemen. He was just a composer and an admittedly mediocre one at that. Still, he was better off than most people of the time. He had a warm bed and a roof. He had money and fashionable clothes. There was truly a lot to be thankful for. He sat on his bed and began to copy his music by hand onto other pages of parchment. It was tedious work but it had to be done before that evening when rehearsal for the wedding would begin. The wedding was in only a week, but Yuuri had faith in his ensemble that they’d be able to pull it off.

A week later Yuuri was dressed in his very best as he was conducting the musical pieces he had written for the ceremony. It was quite elaborate. Flowers from all across the world were placed into beautiful arrangments, obscene amounts of french wine were anticipating the lavish afterparty, a sculptor had been hired to create a lifesize replica of the couple that was destined to be placed in a fountain. Ludovisi and his future son in law had somehow even managed to convince the Bishop himself to conduct the ceremony. It was destined to be a beautiful wedding and a merger of two families that will change the social make-up of Florence. As he saw the bride enter the Cathedral he gestured to the band to begin to play and she marched in during his new piece written especially for this moment. As he was facing his musicians in order to conduct them, there was no way for Yuuri to notice he was turning the head of a handsome young sculptor with a soft spot for musicians.

After the ceremony, Yuuri stood next to a table filled with champagne and gourmet food. It was over the top even for a Noble, but Yuuri couldn’t complain. He sipped slowly knowing that if he caused a scene he’d be at best fired and at worst executed. Yuuri was approaching 22 and his mother wouldn’t stop nagging him to find a wife. Yuuri was content where he was but his mother’s argument had merit. It seemed like every other man his age in all of Florence had a wife and several children. He was getting too old to wed. Yuuri finished his champagne in one large gulp and set it upon the table and turned away without looking bumping into someone attempting to walk behind him. “Oh. I’m so sorry, are you-” Yuuri’s words faded out as his eyes fell onto the men he had just unceremoniously crashed into. His eyes reminded him of the sea he once visited with his mother when he was a boy. His hair was the color of expensive marble, his countenance was that of the angels his contemporaries were so gifted at depicting. The moment their eyes met, a ringing sounded in Yuuri’s ears and his heart seemed about to beat out its chest as his breath was stolen by the wind. 

“You’re that composer!” The beautiful man exclaimed with a large smile on his face. “Oh it’s alright, I really enjoyed your work.” He said as Yuuri gaped at him.

Yuuri shook his head in a feeble attempt to clear it. “Uhm,,, thank you very much. I appreciate your kindness.” He turned away from the man and began to walk away from him. Someone pulled on his elbow.

“Wait. Don’t leave, we haven’t been properly introduced.” the man said a sparkle in his eyes. “I’m Victor. The Ludovisi family recently agreed to become my sponsor. It appears we may be working close to each other from here on out.”

“It appears so. Yuuri. Apparently, you already know who I am.” He replied to the ma- Victor’s advances warily.

“Indeed. Sir Yuuri would you honor me with a dance?” 

“I’d be delighted.”

 

The pair spent the rest of the party laughing with each other. Drawing eyes from the guests and a smile from their caregiver. “They seem to be enjoying each other’s company” Ludovisi laughed along with his wife, “Maybe they will be the next ones to be married.”

The night, Yuuri fell exhausted into his bed unable to contain a smile. Every part of him was giddy from his experiences that day and from meeting Victor. He felt as if his eyes were suddenly open to a wondrous world he’s never seen before. He’d never felt more alive.

 

A quick knock sounded on his door, followed by the sound of the door opening slightly “Yuuri?” Victor’s hesitant voice faded into the room. 

Yuuri looked up from his work on his new piece and looked over to the opening. “Victor? What is it?” He asked clearly surprised to see him in his doorway. 

“Turns out my new living quarters is right next to yours. Would you care to join me for dinner?” He asked from Yuuri’s doorway just a sliver of nervousness penetrating his voice.  
“It’d be my pleasure.” 

 

It happened fairly naturally. They began eating together regularly. Each day either of them would ask the other to join them for a meal and the other would accept. It wasn’t long that it became a habit and soon after that an expectation. Each day they began to spend more and more time together. Ludovisi began commenting on how much better Yuuri’s pieces have become recently, he always said it with a sly smile knowing exactly why they were improving so quickly even though it appeared Yuuri himself did not.

Six months after the party, Victor and Yuuri were engrossed in conversation over what had become their nightly dinner together. “Yuuri, I have a question to ask you,” Victor said prodding at a lump of pork on his plate.  
Yuuri’s head bobbed up and looked at Victor inquisitively indicating for him to continue. “I was wondering if it would be alright to use you as a model for my next work.” Yuuri leaned back from this plate and looked at Victor in shock.

“Really? Why me?” Yuuri didn’t really understand what Victor was suggesting. Aren’t Muses supposed to be the epitome of human beauty, worthy of being preserved. What about Yuuri was that? Thoughts bounced around in his head too fast for him to fully process them. 

Victor seemed to be equally confused. “Because you’re the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.” He said in a matter of fact voice. “I understand if you don’t want to and I won’t force you bu-”

“I’ll do it.” Victor’s rambling was cut off with Yuuri’s words. “If it’ll make you happy I will do it.”

A brilliant smile spread across Victor’s face. “Great! I mean, I want it to make you happy too.”

“It would be an honor.” Victor’s face in that moment was enough to make it worth it.

 

First Victor explained the process he went through in order to create each of his works. He would begin with creating a small replica made of wax which he would then use for reference to create the larger version. After he explained his process thoroughly, Victor instructed Yuuri to pose for him and he did. Yuuri felt very awkward he’d never seen himself as beautiful and he never imagined he’d be in a situation like this. He could never have imagined that a man of Victor’s talents would ever take an interest in him. 

After several long hours, a miniature of Yuuri rested of Victor’s workbench. He set down his carving tool and circled Yuuri’s body scrutinizing every detail in order to make a perfect copy. After some quick touches he sighed with a sense of finality and made his way over to Yuuri. “Thank you for allowing me to do this. You’re exquisite really.” Yuuri was about to respond when he felt hands on his hips. “I mean it as an artist, and as a man, you are stunning.” As what occurred frequently around Victor, Yuuri was speechless. He was attempting to form coherent sentences when Victor’s lips formed over his. Without even thinking Yuuri kissed him back, he hadn’t even noticed that he’d wanted to kiss him before it was happening. Victor smiled against his lips and pulled him closer. “Everything about you was designed to minutia by the angels. You’re the finest creation of the lord. I’m truly blessed to be here with you.” Yuuri smiled in spite of his confusion. They soon fell together upon Victor’s bedding and entangled themselves in the sheets.

That night Yuuri was dressing in an attempt to leave. “Don’t go. Stay with me.” Victor called from behind him.

“I’m only on the other side of the wall.” Yuuri responded reeling from what had already transpired that night. He adored Victor, admired him like he’d never anyone else before him, but he still had his apprehensions. 

“It’s too far,” Victor whined and Yuuri turned to face him. Each day he found himself wanting more of Victor and try as he might he still couldn’t figure out what that was. At that moment, however, he wanted to stay.

Yuuri stood facing him and considered for a moment. But, he couldn’t come up with a good reason to refuse.”Alright fine.” Yuuri groaned walking back Victor while the light of the sun shone from Victor’s face.

It happened naturally, for a few weeks each night Yuuri would sneak timidly into Victor’s room and ask him if he could stay. Each night Victor joyfully agreed. It didn’t take long however for it to become a certainty. It became their new normal to join each other at night. In time the two of them had managed to create for themselves a life most people could only dream of. But, all things must end. The life that Yuuri and Victor were living together couldn’t last.

After months of bliss, Florence turned into a hellscape. Plague ravaged the city like an angry god and many believed it to be the doing of one. All peoples fell to its destruction. Yuuri could no longer recognize the city he once loved. Bodies lay strewn in the streets as people succumbed too fast to the pestilence to remove them. The pungent smell of rotting flesh permeated every room in the city. There was no way to escape it. There was no way to escape death. 

Tragically this too went for our lovers. After a few months of fear and torment, Yuuri contracted the fever. In the coming days he suffered greatly, his skin turned yellow and large ugly balls of puss grew all over his body. By the time he died his once beautiful body was malformed and sagged. Victor refused to leave his side the entire time. Yuuri begged him to leave, telling him that he didn’t want Victor to become infected. He stayed anyway. Yuuri was cradled in Victor’s arms when the light overtook him. He died on March 16th, 1348. His body was interred in a mass grave leaving the only indication of his existence to be the statue that Victor carved of him. Victor was soon to follow, he died March 24th, 1348 of the same disease that took his soulmate to the next life. 

As Yuuri took his last breaths Victor spoke to him through his tears, “I’ll find you again Yuuri.” 

Yuuri heard every word, his last thought was the anticipation of being able to meet and fall in love with him again. “I’ll be waiting.”


	2. Pompeii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One the 24th of August 79 AD. Victor and Yuuri are residents of the thriving Roman city of Pompeii. It was the beginning of the rest of their new lives together! Until a mysterious smoke begins to rise to the sky from the nearby mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this took so long to come out! This one is a bit shorter than the last one but I hope you all enjoy it just as much!!   
> You can find me on my tumblr @iki-victuri please feel free to stop by I'm always taking requests for a new setting so if you have ideas feel free to let me know. Thank you so much for reading!

It happened on an average Tuesday. It was the 24th of August 79 AD, and that morning the city was as lively as it ever had been. Victor strolled through the bustling streets. His face was aglow with joy as he smiled brightly at each passerby. After all, this was going to be a great day. In the busy marketplace, his beloved stood in his family’s stall and sold the newest imports. Yuuri was radiant smiling at his customers and working diligently. It had never been a surprise to Victor that he adored Yuuri. After all, it is in the nature of a merchant to be a charmer. 

As Victor approached him he heard confused chatter spread over the crowd. He followed their gazes and stared in amazement at the mountain. There was a gigantic plume of smoke rising from its peak. Together, the citizens stared at it in astonishment what could possibly create so much smoke? Was it an enemy trying to start a war? Was the other side of the mountain ablaze? An anxious curiosity settled over the crowd, but it didn’t last very long. People had things that needed to be done so with trepidation the marketplace sprang back into full swing and Victor finally made his way to Yuuri. 

“Hey there. I’d like to make a purchase.”

Yuuri turned at the sound of a voice, and then upon seeing Victor, his eyes softened. “Oh? What are you looking to buy?” He said playfully.

Victor’s eyes crinkled and his heart beat faster as he gazed at his partner lovingly “Your heart.” 

“You can’t afford it. Anyway, it’s not for sale”

“Oh man, and I was so looking forward to it!”

Yuuri rolled his eyes at his stupid boyfriend. A thought seemed to flick through his head as his face fell. “You shouldn’t be here Victor. You know what my father would do if he saw us together.”

“That’s actually why I’m here. I know you don’t go to the Coliseum so I wanted to tell you myself. I won the tournament! I’m being freed, and I got the prize money too!”

“Really! Oh my god Victor that’s amazing!” Yuuri exclaimed with overwhelming joy.

“You know what that means? I have both honor and wealth. Your family will finally accept me! We can be together.” Yuuri squealed with glee and frantically looked behind him. 

“Aelia I'm leaving for the day, keep the stand running.” He shouted to his employee while hurrying out of the stall.

“No problem.” She smiled at him with a smirk. Aelia had always adored Victor and Yuuri as a couple. “Have fun you two.” He nodded at her forming a quick “thank you” silently as they ran off giddily into the crowd.

While Victor and Yuuri were celebrating the rest of the city was unnerved. The smoke was still rising from the mountain and it only seemed to be getting thicker. Everyone was on edge. Perhaps the gods were angry at them and this was a warning. Fear and propaganda spread through the streets and an atmosphere of dread set over the city.

The love-struck couple were scared too but their exhilaration overcame their anxiety as they danced through the city hand in hand enjoying everything it had to offer. For the next several hours they enjoyed each other’s company as well as food along with actors and musicians. It was a day they both thought would never come. Before this, each moment they spent together could have been their last. Yuuri always ran the risk of being caught sneaking out to see Victor, and as a gladiator for Victor, tomorrow was never assured. But today, today they were together and the possibility of a future for the two of them was beginning to finally seem real. 

The smoke didn’t stop. It rose ominously into the sky. Their unease grew as the hours stretched.

Early that afternoon the smoke began the thicken and turn black. It blocked out the sun. Yuuri and Victor’s bliss vanished. Without even thinking Victor grabbed Yuuri’s wrist and pulled him behind him. There was chaos in the streets. People ran every which way screaming about the end of the world and the wrath of the gods. “Yuuri. Whatever you do don’t let go of my hand.” He said in a serious tone he rarely had occasion to use. Yuuri nodded silently hiding behind Victor’s back. Victor tightened his grip on Yuuri’s wrist and began running as fast as he could to the safest place he could think of. Yuuri tripped and stumbled behind him as Victor pulled him along. He cursed and muttered under his breath all the way to their destination. The Coliseum.

Victor pulled Yuuri inside and held him close to him. “Victor? What just happened.” 

“I don’t know. But, whatever it is it isn’t good.” Victor replied perplexed. Yuuri just nodded and looked around his surroundings. Victor watched him, he knew that Yuuri hated the Coliseum and Victor understood why. Yuuri was the son of one the wealthiest men in Pompeii, but he was born with too good of a heart. When he was younger he was forced to visit the Coliseum often and was horrified by the torture people were subjected to. When he was 11, he’d had enough. He snuck out one night and attempted to free all the men who had been forced into fighting for their lives. It didn’t take long for him to be discovered. He was detained by the man who operated the Coliseum and was whipped and beaten until he had deep wounds stretching his entire back. Yuuri’s father at the time was a part owner and had thus been brought to the scene. When he saw his son lying bloodied on the floor he turned his back on him. Yuuri begged for him to have mercy. His father ordered him to be left for the lions. Yuuri’s sister intervened and narrowly saved him from a painful death. He has ugly raised scars from the incident. Yuuri never acted out against his father’s wishes again. That was until he met Victor at least.   
Yuuri looked around visibly shaken. He looked as if he was about to say something when a torrent of noises sounded from above them. Yuuri and Victor looked at each other questioningly and ran toward the doors to the outside of the building. Upon opening the door they beheld rocks falling from the sky. It was as many of the people had feared: the end of the world.

Yuuri and Victor were trapped. They couldn’t leave the building or else they’d be pelted with these rocks. Hours passed as the pair laid next to each other on the coliseum floor desperately attempting to distract themselves. They talked about their future. What kind of house they would have. What their dog’s name would be. What the neighbors would be like. What they would be like. What had finally seemed like a possibility after ages of impossibility was beginning to falling down around them. That afternoon seemed to be as far away as the stars in the sky. 

They heard a strange hissing sound. At first, they wrote it off the sound from the rocks, until it began to fall onto their faces. The ceiling was crumbling. The weight of the rocks was starting to become more than the roof could handle, and it was going to crash down on them. Victor did everything he could to conceal his panic from Yuuri but he knew a lot of it was slipping through. If they left the building the falling rocks would pelt them and they were likely to be injured. If they stayed the ceiling would collapse killing them. He had no idea how much longer the building would hold out and whether or not there was anywhere else in the city they could find sufficient shelter. 

“We’re going to die here, aren’t we?” Yuuri’s defeated voice sounded behind from where Victor now stood. Victor turned to take in Yuuri’s face. It was covered with dirt and beneath his eyes, there was a thin line of clean skin probably from tears.

“No, we aren’t. I’m not dying here.” Victor said in a surprisingly soothing tone despite the terror that he himself was feeling. “The roof will hold for a little while longer. We will wait here until it starts to fall. Then, we will run for the harbor as fast as we can.” Victor walked over to Yuuri and placed his hands on his shoulder. “Yuuri I promise you, you are going to get through this. I’m going to protect you. No matter what.” Yuuri nodded but he didn’t seem to have been calmed by Victor’s words. 

They waited. The ceiling began to crumble more and more each passing minute. Time went by. They waited. Finally, the ceiling began to fall in earnest. Once again Victor grabbed Yuuri’s hand and pulled him from the building. As soon as they left the doorway it fell the weight of the rocks having overcome it. Victor and Yuuri were still far from safety. The coliseum appeared to have lasted longer than many of the other structures in the city. Which was nice while it lasted but now they had no protection at all from the projectiles. Victor tripped over them again and again as he ran. He could feel Yuuri fall behind him but Victor’s grip was strong and he could manage the work for both of them. A barrage of rocks fell on their heads and arms and legs. They definitely would end up forming bruises- if they lived long enough. Most of the city was on fire and Victor realized he was unlikely to be able to keep his promise to Yuuri. He couldn’t protect him. Not from the wrath of the gods or the end of the world. Both he and Yuuri were facing their ends. Victor didn’t really mind dying. He was living on extra time now anyway. There were multiple times he should have died in the Coliseum. Yuuri dying, that bothered him. Yuuri was a good man that Victor had long before that day sworn to protect. Yuuri had a lot left to do in his life and he didn’t deserve to die. Victor made sure Yuuri didn’t notice the tears that fell from his face. He kept his head forward and kept running as hard and fast as he could. Maybe he couldn’t save Yuuri, but that by no means meant he was going to give up. 

They had almost reached the harbor when it happened. A plume of ash came barreling towards them at an incredible speed. There was no way Victor could outrun it especially pulling Yuuri. He had barely enough time to turn themselves around so Victor’s body was the closest to the hot ash. They faced each other and at the last possible moment, Yuuri lifted his face and gently pressed his lips to Victor’s. Victor’s surprise didn’t last. The ash overtook them. Sealing them in an eternal kiss.


	4. South Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a small rural town in South Carolina, Victor works all day tending to the fields as a small town farmer. Until a wealthy landowner begins purchasing all the land in the town. The man's young son-Yuuri- and Victor become unlikely friends and create a new world together that neither of them wish to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the super late update. School is crazy my dudes let me tell you.
> 
> I'd like to dedicate this fic to my friend Em. Here's to you weird Southern Victor kink
> 
> The characters in here do not reflect my opinions of the characters in Yuri!!! on Ice except for Victor and Yuuri.  
> You can always find me on tumblr @Iki-victuri  
> betaed by @ryan--ross on tumblr
> 
> I hope you all enjoy

Born and raised in South Carolina Victor was a classic farm boy. His family owned a farm and while he was growing up every day was spent in the fields doing hard labor in order to yield their crops so they could sell them and live on. His family was never wealthy but they didn’t see a need for too much money. Although few would envy this life he loved it. His family had seven dogs and vast land. The nearby lake was refreshing in the summer and fun to skate on in the winter. His life was quiet and simple and he couldn’t ask for anything better. The warmth of the sun on his skin the smell of fresh air were everything he could ever want. 

Tragically this modest life was unable to last forever. 

After working on the farm for over 20 years a wealthy land developer discovered the nearby lake and began buying property around the circumference to build a vacation resort. One after another close friends and neighbors were forced to close the farms many of their families had owned for generations and move to rebuild their lives somewhere else. Victor was equal parts devastated and enraged. In a fit of fury, he put on his least dirty overalls and marched to the man’s office to give him a piece of his mind.

Except it didn’t happen like that.

Victor sauntered up to the gigantic farmhouse that the land developer had purchased and began to walk towards the door when he heard voices coming from the garden. Automatically his eyes shifted over at the sound. His eyes were greeted by the most beautiful man Victor had ever seen. 

That being said growing up where he did Victor had never seen very many beautiful men.  
But, this one made his knees weak. He had black hair that fell softly across his forehead and blew slightly in the wind. His eyes were a gentle shade of brown like freshly tilled dirt or the chocolate he was only allowed to have on his birthday because it was too expensive. A delicate teacup was raised to his perfect lips as he gracefully took a sip listening attentively to the woman sat talking beside him. His cheeks had a slight bit of color, the color of life and spirit. His upper-body was clothed in a soft yellow jacket with a frilly white shirt underneath. Victor felt immediately underdressed in his hay strewn suspenders. 

He took a small step towards the garden having completely forgotten his mission as he stared in admiration at the stunning boy before him. 

“Yuuri?” An unseen voice called.

The beautiful man’s head turned at the call. “Coming father,” He stood up from his seat and walked towards the house from the garden allowing Victor to view the rest of his body. His profile was slightly curvy yet still slight. He walked with an easy grace that spoke of refinement and poise. His buttocks were well formed and supple. A true beauty to behold. The voice that called out sounded even more beautiful than the church bells he heard every Sunday for as long as he could remember. He was awestruck by his form and by his face. He could barely breathe. the lord’s light shined from the boy and Victor began to feel as if he was falling.

 

 

Moments later Victor was awoken by light taps on his face. His eyes fluttered open to reveal Yuuri. Victor realized he must have fainted at the shock of beholding such a divine beauty. 

“He’s awake!” Yuuri’s beautiful voice sounded. “Someone get him some water please.” Yuuri stared down worriedly, Victor thought he had perhaps in fact died and was now with the lord in heaven.

“It’s going to be okay sweet pea we’re going to get you some water.” Victor sat up and regarded the man still in fervent awe. 

“My lord, If you aren’t more beautiful than the sun in the sky.” He heard himself say. Yuuri’s cheeks heated at his words and he looked away sheepishly. 

“That’s very kind of you to say.” He replied after an expanse.

“Not at all it’s just the truth.” 

Yuuri smiled at him sweetly and opened his mouth to reply when he was cut off from the same voice he heard earlier. “Yuuri get in here right now, Elizabeth has arrived and you do not want to miss supper.” 

Yuuri rolled his eyes and reluctantly pulled back from Victor’s prone form. “Of course father.” As he walked away Victor caught glances of Yuuri looking back with worried and regretful eyes. He soon disappeared into the house away from Victor’s view. 

A large woman- presumably the person Yuuri had requested water from- sat beside him and offered him a glass which Victor respectably took. “Say Ma’am. Who might that boy be?’ Victor asked her.

“He’s the son of Mr. Katsuki. A wealthy landowner. They just moved here recently.” Victor nodded and kept his eyes on the door to the house through which Yuuri had disappeared. He’s the son of the man who was destroying his town. He figured his mama must’ve been right and that beauty really did come from the Devil. 

Still, he couldn’t keep himself from asking, “who’s Elizabeth?”

The woman frowned as if he didn’t really have a place to know that information. “His fiancee”

 

Victor didn’t sleep much that night. He couldn’t stop thinking about that beautiful man with the worried eyes and the kind smile. Surely he couldn’t be the son of the man he had come to so despise. He couldn’t understand how someone like him could be so beautiful or so gentle. His eyes were so sweet and soft. Victor was sure he could stare into them for an eternity and never become bored. 

Late into the night, he arose from his bed giving up on sleep for the night. He dressed and walked down to the lake to an abandoned dock that he had played on when he was younger. He slipped off his shoes and dangled his feet into the water feeling the waves move up and down his legs. The water was brisk but not cold. Sitting near the lake always cleared his head. Making his cluttered thoughts pass through like the breeze. He sat and enjoyed the quiet for a while before he heard footsteps approaching from behind him.

“Mind if I take a seat here hun?” Victor turned his head around and saw Yuuri standing behind him smiling sweetly down at him.

“Sure thing Doll,” He said moving over to give Yuuri some space as he watched him remove his shoes and socks before placing his feet in the water beside Victor’s.

“How are you doing? You gave me quite the scare.”

“I’m fine,” Victor replied glad that the darkness his blush. “What are you doing out here this late at night.” He asked.

“I could ask you the same thing”

“I asked first.”  
Victor made out a shadow of a frown on Yuuri’s lips before he heard him sigh and lean back against his hands. “I couldn’t sleep. My father wants me to get married in the fall. He arranged for me to marry this girl when I was really young.” He began. “She’s nice and a close friend but I don’t think I want to marry her.” 

Victor digested his words before thinking of a response. “Are you?” 

Yuuri looked at Victor before attempting to make out his features. “I -I don’t know. I don’t want to anger my father and I don’t want to upset Elizabeth.”

“So you’re going to marry someone you don’t love just because you don’t want to disappoint them? That seems a bit cowardly.” Yuuri nodded thoughtfully. 

“I guess it is a bit cowardly.”

“You should marry who you want to marry.” 

“You’re right. I just don’t know how to tell them.”

“I doubt it’ll be easy but you should do what makes you happy.” Yuuri nodded again before sitting straight abruptly.

“Dear me! I’ve forgotten my manners! My name is Yuuri Katsuki.” He said a bit flustered.

“Nice to meet ya Mr. Katsuki. I’m Victor.” He said extending a calloused hand.

“The pleasure is mine,” Yuuri said taking his hand in a surprisingly firm grip.

Yuuri and Victor turned back toward the lake after they made their introductions. Moonlight shone down upon them illuminating the darkness in a dreamlike glow. 

“Why did you come here?” Victor asked after a brief moment.

Yuuri seemed caught off guard by this question. “To the lake or to the town?”

“Either one.”

“Well, I came to the town because my father had been told of it by an old friend who said it was one of the most gorgeous lakes in the state. So naturally, my father decided to destroy its beauty by commercializing it. He wants to build a resort. Soon this pristine lake is going to be filled with pollution and garbage.” Yuuri answered, defeated.

Victor stared at him. “If you don’t like it then why don’t you stop him?”

“I can’t even stop him from forcing me to get married. How am I going to stop this?” Yuuri replied a tinge of shame in his voice. 

“And the lake?”

“Fairly soon after we moved here I got angry with my father and left the house. I guess I just naturally gravitated towards the water and I found this place. No one in my family knows of it yet so I come here when I want to disappear or clear my head.”

“I understand,” Victor said. 

“What about you?” Yuuri asked

“Why I'm at the lake?”

“Sure. or the town either one.”

Victor leaned back matching Yuuri’s position. “My family moved to this town about 150 years ago and founded the farm. The Nikiforov’s have been tending this land ever since. I’m here because it’s where my blood wants me.” 

“I see. Family ties.” Victor nodded. “Have you ever wished to leave? To do something else? To be someone different than you are expected to be?” Yuuri chided.

“A few times I guess. But, this is what I do. It’s what I've always done. I’m not sure I'd be able to do anything else.” Victor admitted.

“Have you ever wanted to try?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“I have. Ever since I was born I was expected to be like my father. I was expected to marry this woman and have sons and to develop land and to have lots of servants and money. To always be proper and to be and upstanding member of the community in the public eye. Which doesn’t sound too bad I guess, but I don’t think that’s me.” 

“Oh” 

Yuuri stood and grabbed his shoes. “I better get back. I’m expected to show Elizabeth around the town tomorrow.” He sighed. As he began to retreat back to the large once a plantation house. After a moment he hesitated and turned round to face Victor. “We should do this again. Tomorrow night?” He asked.

“Yeah, sure thing,” Victor replied a bit awed by Yuuri’s boldness.

“Until then, then.”

“Yeah, until then.” With that Yuuri departed from the dock and returned to the house. Victor remained by the lake for a while trying to retain memories of that night. For some reason, Victor felt they would be important ones. 

 

The next night the wind was strong. Victor returned to the dock to the sound of the air whistling near his ears. It was a cold night just a few degrees shy of cozy. It was the type of night that heralded the arrival of spring. Despite this, Victor was anything but calm. He was nervous to see Yuuri again and fearful that he would have forgotten about their arrangement. He once again made his feet bare and slipped them into the water. “Hey.” Victor’s hair stood on end. He couldn’t tell if it was from the sound of Yuuri’s voice or from the breeze.

“Hello there,” Victor replied attempting to hide his relief at Yuuri’s arrival.

“Scooch,” Yuuri said waving Victor away.

“I wasn’t sure you were comin’,” Victor remarked as Yuuri put his feet into the water beside Victor’s.

“Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know I just assumed you’d forget.”

“You came.”

“Yeah, I guess I did.”

Silence fell upon them. They truly didn’t really know each other and as a result, they didn’t have very many topics of conversation. Minutes passed.

“When I was just a boy my Pa taught me about the stars.” Victor finally broke the silence. “See up there?” He pointed. “That’s Aries. It rules the sky this time of year.” Yuuri nodded interested. Beneath the moonlight, Victor could see a glimmer in Yuuri’s eye that Victor one day hoped he’d know well enough to identify.

 

Victor and Yuuri soon fell into a routine of meeting nightly. Slowly, very slowly everything began to fall into place. On the fourth night, Victor sat far away enough to leave enough space for Yuuri without him telling him to move. On the 6th night, Victor brought a blanket and on the 9th Yuuri brought a small basket of food. The relationship proceeded naturally and easily. 

On the 11th night, things changed even more. Victor was eating a strawberry that Yuuri had brought and dangling his feet into the water. Yuuri moved slightly closer to him so that their thighs were pressed together. An alarm went off inside Victor’s brain. This beautiful man was far too close to him.

“Why’d you stop?” Victor had stopped talking mid-sentence without realizing. 

“No reason.”

“Well keep going! I want to learn more!” At the close of his sentence, Yuuri lightly leaned his head against Victor’s shoulder. Victor didn’t complain.

 

On the 18th night, the pair sat on the dock as they always did, although this time surrounded by extravagant foods, wine, and candles- courtesy of Yuuri’s father wealth. 

“Yuuri?” Victor cooed.

“Mm?” Yuuri hummed back.

“Why are you so eager to learn about the stars?”

Yuuri tore his eyes away from the sky. “Because I’ve always wanted to I guess. Also, because I’m not supposed to. My mother used to say it was improper for a boy of my standing to do something so trivial as to stargaze.”

‘’Oh. Used to?” 

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean-”

“It’s fine. It was a while ago.” Yuuri said in a flat tone. 

“You can talk about it. If you want.”

Yuuri sighed and looked at Victor with sad eyes. “She was my Mom, and she’s gone now. She wasn’t the best mom in the world but she did her best.” Yuuri paused drawing in a breath. “She was kidnapped when I was 12. Held for ransom. My father couldn’t meet the payment in time. We had to hold the funeral with a closed casket.”

“That’s terrible.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s alright it was a long time ago.”

Victor nodded and settled back onto his hands, allowing the silence to momentarily return. “Do you resent him? Your father?”

“Sometimes.”

Victor pondered for a moment trying to think of something to say. 

“You see that star? When I w-”

He was cut off as Yuuri’s lips closed over his. His train of thought quickly vanished from his mind as he brought his hand up to gently hold Yuuri’s face.

 

A Month or so passed and the Spring became the summer. The times they spent lounging by the lake and staring at the stars were soon replaced by splashing around in the water and trying to see who can make the other one laugh the most. Victor couldn’t remember a time in his life where he’d been so happy. His new life was magical until it wasn’t.

“Victor!” He turned around at the distressed voice.

“Yuuri? What is it.” He asked worriedly.

“I told my father. I told him I didn’t want to marry Elizabeth. He’s really angry. He decided to move the wedding sooner.”

Victor didn’t know what to say, how to comfort him. He couldn’t tell him everything was going to be alright. Yuuri was too smart for that. Instead of saying anything he patted the wood next to him softly. Yuuri obediently sat down next to him, and in the same moment, Victor pulled his arm around Yuuri’s head bringing it to his shoulder in a protective gesture. After, a moment Yuuri’s body began to shake. Victor held him close and would until his sobs subsided.

“How soon?” Victor asked him stone-faced.

“Wha-”

“How soon Yuuri?” He repeated with more emphasis on his words.

“A week,” Yuuri replied.

“Alright. I’m getting you out of this Yuuri.”

“How?” Yuuri asked. 

“I don’t know yet, but I am,” Victor said honestly. He had no idea how he was going to stop that wedding, but he knew he’d do anything in order to make sure Yuuri was happy and to make them pay for hurting him.

 

 

Victor and Yuuri parted soon after that. Yuuri still wasn’t sure what could possibly make his father change his mind and even with all of Victor’s comforts did not seem to have recovered. However, Victor’s mind was ablaze. He lied awake all night unable to sleep attempting to figure out how to save Yuuri.

 

That night after Victor gave up on sleep altogether he went into the old garage his family hadn’t used in years and approached the old broken down blue truck filled with dust and cobwebs. He removed his tattered shirt and laid beneath the car to get to work. Over the course of the day, he worked himself in a sweat. Cleaning out the dust and grime, fixing the engine so that it might actually run. At the end of each day, he was dirty and his muscles ached from labor. For the next several days he got up and did it all again until the day before the wedding when it was finally finished. He took it for a test drive around the town before sneaking it near the lake late that night. 

When Yuuri arrived that night he didn’t immediately notice the truck. He eyes were cast downwards in the knowledge that tomorrow he’d be forced to marry. He didn’t see it until he nearly bumped into it. 

“Victor, what is this?” He asked eyes widening.

“Our ride out,” Victor replied matter of fact.

“What? I-”

“It’s your chance to escape. Go! Find someone you want to marry.” 

“I can’t just run away!”

“Why not?” 

“Because it’s my family! I can’t just leave. Besides, I’ve already found someone I want to marry.”

“Oh.” Victor stood up from where he was leaning on the car and walked to the driver’s seat. “I didn’t realize. I’m sorry Yuuri, I have to go.”

“No Victor wait don’t go! You didn’t let me finish!”

Victor pushed the key into the ignition and turned, it refused to start. “I don’t want to hear you talk about it Yuuri. I just want to go home and go to bed.”

“It’s noon! Stop and listen to me for just one second.”

“No, I do-”

“It’s you!” Yuuri exclaimed in equal parts anger and desperation. “I want to be with you.”

“Really? Me?” Victor asked in shock.

“Yes, you. Of course, it’s you. So I’m not leaving because I am not leaving you here.”

Victor smiled widely. “Alright well in that case. Let’s go see your father.”

Yuuri squared his shoulders and opened the door to the house, making sure he looked put together, he marched in with a mission. Victor followed immediately realizing that he didn’t fit in there. Everything in the house was fancy and beautiful and Victor was only one of those things. He hesitated in the doorway. Yuuri pulled on his arm and dragged him further inside. “Father!!! We need to talk.” He yelled into the seemingly endless hallway. 

Yuuri pulled Victor into an adjacent room where a middle-aged man sat on a couch with a book in hand. “Now Yuuri-”

“No! I have something to tell you, and you can’t object.” Yuuri said forcefully. Clearly, this was a surprise as his father leaned back into the couch and looked at Yuuri expectantly. “I am your son. Not your puppet, and if you want me to keep being your son you will listen to me. I am not marrying Elizabeth tomorrow. Not ever.” He said shaking. “I’m leaving with Victor. I don’t know where but I'm going. He’s the first person I’ve ever wanted to hold on to.”

“No, Yuuri I refuse to let you run off with this bumpkin.”

“How dare you. You don’t have a choice. I’m leaving. Maybe I'll send a postcard.” Yuuri dramatically turned and walked from the room pulling Victor behind him as he went. They left the house and returned to the car waiting for them near the lake. 

“Where are we going?” Yuuri asked Victor as the slid into the car. 

 

“I don’t know. My happiness is with you. I’ll go anywhere you want to go.” 

“Shut up and drive.”

 

Three months later in Oklahoma Victor and Yuuri were wed. The pair spent the next 60 years together breeding dogs on a large open property much like the one Victor left behind until Victor died of a fever at 84 years old having fulfilled a long and happy life with his loving family. Yuuri was soon to follow him passing to the next life 6 months later.


End file.
